a life in parts book review

Book Review: Bryan Cranston’s Memoir, “A Life in Parts”

After winning her first Emmy at age 41 this year for her stunning performance as prosecutor Marcia Clark in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” Sarah Paulson said this about the benefits of being a late-bloomer in the world of showbiz: “I found a success that is so much bigger and deeper and better, and it’s because it happened later.”

Fellow actor Bryan Cranston , who finally rose to leading-man status in his early 50s as meek chemistry teacher turned ruthless drug kingpin Walter White for five seasons on AMC’s “Breaking Bad”—claiming three Emmys for his performance in the bargain—could similarly make such a claim, judging by his new memoir, A Life in Parts .  The title applies equally to the roles he has taken on in everyday life and those he has chosen to portray in what has matured into a highly fruitful career. He became a devoted husband and father in his 30s after a short failed first marriage and found stardom after paying his dues and then some with guest-starring spots on countless TV series in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

As a result, many of the chapters are about subjects beyond the pursuit of fame and fortune. One can imagine that middle child Cranston found it especially cathartic to delve into his difficult youth growing up with two dysfunctional parents. Dad Joe was a womanizer with a penchant for cooking up doomed business schemes and the type of movie actor who did B-grade thrillers opposite giant grasshoppers. Mom Peggy began to hit the bottle hard after Joe left her for another woman when Cranston was 11. While his father remained distant until they reunited years later, his mother tried to provide for her three kids, including an older son and a younger daughter, by selling items at swap meets but it wasn’t enough to keep them from losing their house to foreclosure. 

Cranston might have spent seven seasons as a hapless goof of a father figure on Fox’s hit sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” but he is no fool. He instinctively knows to throw his rabid “Breaking Bad” followers a quick bone by kicking off his book with a discussion of one of the show’s more shocking episodes that arrived late into the second season. That was when Walter found his business partner and ex-student, Aaron Paul ’s Jesse, passed out on heroin next to girlfriend Jane, who got him hooked on the drug and had threatened to blackmail Walter. When she begins to choke on her own vomit, Walter thinks about rolling her over but then stops and allows her to die as his character crosses the line into the next realm of evil. During filming, Cranston suddenly imagined his own daughter’s face instead of that of the actress before him and his sob-filled reaction was appropriately devastating to observe. 

But the meat of his book is how he came to realize that he was born to be an actor and the numerous rungs he had to climb before becoming a household name. I have read many a celebrity-penned autobiography. But I don’t recall anyone else having quite as many jobs, odd or otherwise, before committing to their calling as a performer. The Southern California native’s motley array of employment opportunities includes working on a chicken farm as a kid, paperboy, house painter, security guard (his account of an awkward encounter with Alfred Hitchcock at the Century Plaza Hotel is a keeper), baggage carrier for vacationers on Catalina Island, an ordained minister who officiated at wedding ceremonies, waiter, clerk at an organic food co-op, carnival barker, souvenir hawker at a ballpark and lifeguard.

An unfortunate experience involving a verbal flub in an elementary-school stage production of “ The Time Machine ” convinced him that maybe his dream of becoming an actor was not meant to be. It might surprise fans of “Breaking Bad” that Cranston instead planned on joining the LAPD after he graduated from high school and even earned an associate’s degree in police science at a junior college. Perhaps knowing both sides of the law wasn’t a bad thing when playing a meth-lab version of Scarface. But the bug began to bite again when he signed up for two electives—intro to acting and stagecraft.

The scars from Cranston’s youthful embarrassment on stage began to heal during a cross-country trip that he and his brother (who went by the names Kim and Ed, but is now called Kyle) took in their early 20s. They decided to head out on the highway on their motorcycles, camping gear in tow, for nearly a year. When rain kept them trapped in their tents, Cranston would pour through a collection of classic plays. Becoming enthralled by “Hedda Gabler” sparked an epiphany and it didn’t take long for him to find himself on stage at a Daytona, Fla., playhouse. The rest—a Mars bar commercial, being a regular on the ‘80s daytime soap “Loving,” a recurring role as dentist Tim Whatley on “Seinfeld,” his fateful run-in with “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan as a guest star on “ The X-Files ,” a Tony Award for his LBJ in the play “ All the Way ,” an Oscar nomination for “ Trumbo ”—is destiny-achieved history.

As you might guess, Cranston’s recollections aren’t filled with accounts of bedding starlets, stints in rehab or nights spent drinking champagne at the Polo Lounge. That said, between marriages, there was one dark and nasty “ Fatal Attraction ”-like sexual entanglement with a less-than-stable actress who ended up stalking him and almost drove him to violence. But this is a guy who would rather share insights about how he shaped Walter White and fought to maintain the character’s integrity. Or proudly reveal how he was able to memorize page after page of dialogue for “All the Way” in just four weeks before a Boston tryout. If you would rather read about a very human and caring star who is serious about his craft with nary a blemish in his past than the usual crash-and-burn tale, this is your book.

Bryan Cranston’s “A Life in Parts” is now available. To order your copy, click here . 

Susan Wloszczyna

Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes.

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A LIFE IN PARTS

by Bryan Cranston ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 11, 2016

The highs here—and there are many—are meth-less but addictive.

The star of Breaking Bad debuts with a collection of memories and ruminations.

Cranston (b. 1956), borrowing his title and organization (sort of) from Jacques’ famous “All the world’s a stage” speech in As You Like It , offers a series of mostly short chapters that focus on the roles he’s played—in life, in film and TV, and on the stage. For a celebrity memoir, it’s unusually humble; the author makes no real mention of Golden Globe and Emmy wins, and he shows a determined effort throughout to credit and praise his co-workers. He mentions, for example, an effective gag on one of his Seinfeld appearances that came via an electrician. His narrative flows forward chronologically, broken only by abrupt shifts of focus to his various roles. His tells us about his parents—neither, especially the father, would ever qualify for a parenthood prize—and his siblings, who have been successful in their various enterprises despite, like the author, enduring a difficult childhood. (Near the end, he enters group therapy with them.) Occasionally, Cranston pauses to talk about the craft of acting, and a few of his observations sound like “takeaways” from a performance class (“Building a character is like building a house”). For the most part, the author stresses how skill and talent are fairly pointless without a lot of hard work and thought about the character and the words. He does not downplay his failures (a first marriage did not last); nor does he deny us details about his unmoored years, which included a Kerouac-ian cross-country journey with his brother. We learn as well about the perils and inconveniences of celebrity, his deep affection for his wife and daughter, and losses (parents, others). He ends with an account of his recent stage performance as Lyndon Johnson.

Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4767-9385-6

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS & CELEBRITY | GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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by Elie Wiesel & translated by Marion Wiesel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2006

The author's youthfulness helps to assure the inevitable comparison with the Anne Frank diary although over and above the...

Elie Wiesel spent his early years in a small Transylvanian town as one of four children. 

He was the only one of the family to survive what Francois Maurois, in his introduction, calls the "human holocaust" of the persecution of the Jews, which began with the restrictions, the singularization of the yellow star, the enclosure within the ghetto, and went on to the mass deportations to the ovens of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. There are unforgettable and horrifying scenes here in this spare and sombre memoir of this experience of the hanging of a child, of his first farewell with his father who leaves him an inheritance of a knife and a spoon, and of his last goodbye at Buchenwald his father's corpse is already cold let alone the long months of survival under unconscionable conditions. 

Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2006

ISBN: 0374500010

Page Count: 120

Publisher: Hill & Wang

Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2006

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INTO THE WILD

by Jon Krakauer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1996

A wonderful page-turner written with humility, immediacy, and great style. Nothing came cheap and easy to McCandless, nor...

The excruciating story of a young man on a quest for knowledge and experience, a search that eventually cooked his goose, told with the flair of a seasoned investigative reporter by Outside magazine contributing editor Krakauer (Eiger Dreams, 1990). 

Chris McCandless loved the road, the unadorned life, the Tolstoyan call to asceticism. After graduating college, he took off on another of his long destinationless journeys, this time cutting all contact with his family and changing his name to Alex Supertramp. He was a gent of strong opinions, and he shared them with those he met: "You must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life''; "be nomadic.'' Ultimately, in 1992, his terms got him into mortal trouble when he ran up against something—the Alaskan wild—that didn't give a hoot about Supertramp's worldview; his decomposed corpse was found 16 weeks after he entered the bush. Many people felt McCandless was just a hubris-laden jerk with a death wish (he had discarded his map before going into the wild and brought no food but a bag of rice). Krakauer thought not. Admitting an interest that bordered on obsession, he dug deep into McCandless's life. He found a willful, reckless, moody boyhood; an ugly little secret that sundered the relationship between father and son; a moral absolutism that agitated the young man's soul and drove him to extremes; but he was no more a nutcase than other pilgrims. Writing in supple, electric prose, Krakauer tries to make sense of McCandless (while scrupulously avoiding off-the-rack psychoanalysis): his risky behavior and the rites associated with it, his asceticism, his love of wide open spaces, the flights of his soul.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1996

ISBN: 0-679-42850-X

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Villard

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995

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Book Review: A Life in Parts, by Bryan Cranston

• Obviously a real treat for any Breaking Bad fans out there, as he talks a lot about what it was like to be on set, how that job affected his life, what the other actors were like, etc. But the book is not overwhelmed by Breaking Bad tales, and I applaud Cranston for it. 
• Cranston detailing his bizarre and dysfunctional Southern California 60s/70s childhood and then the seminal experiences in his late-teens and 20s that led him to the ultimate, and permanent revelation that he wanted to be an actor. It's inspirational for anyone who has ever struggled with their career direction.
• His tales about working on Seinfeld, an highlight and important stepping stone in his career
• In general, his stories about the various acting jobs he had to take over the years, some failed, most successful, in his slow but steady rise to widespread success
• As trite as it sounds, this book really does almost feel like you're sitting down in Cranston's living room with him, or at a bar having a beer; the "voice" and the writing are that clear and direct. 

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A Life in Parts

Bryan Cranston

A Life in Parts. By Bryan Cranston.

Orion, $32.99

I must be one of the few people in the Western world not to see Breaking Bad , but I know the story and Bryan Cranston's own story can be seen as a preparation for a role he seemed destined for. His parents met in acting classes: his father a B-grade actor ( The Corpse Grinders ) and a boxer, often getting into fights. They divorced; his mother and the children constantly shifting. But acting was in Cranston's blood and he charts his progress from a Mars Bar commercial to Walter White. There's grim stuff in between including a drug-addict girlfriend (in awe of her mother) threatening to have him taken out – she'd previously tried to run him over. Cranston responded, "I'll tell your mother". He writes well, and the writing seems as honest as any writing can be, especially his descriptions of the intensity of making Breaking Bad .

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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, a life in parts.

Featured Review

In A LIFE IN PARTS, Bryan Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany, and beyond, to mega-stardom and a cult-like following. He accomplishes this by vividly revisiting the many parts he’s played, on camera (astronaut, dentist, detective, candy bar spokesperson, President of the United States, etc.) and off (paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, son, brother, lover, husband, father). With great humor and much humility, Cranston chronicles his unlikely rise from a soap opera regular to a recurring spot on “Seinfeld,” and gives a bracing account of his challenging run on Broadway as President Lyndon Johnson.

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston

• Publication Date: August 8, 2017
• Genres: Memoir , Nonfiction
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Scribner
• ISBN-10: 1476793875
• ISBN-13: 9781476793870

Bryan Cranston | A Life in Parts

He talks of being a young actor and having to believe in himself, because if he didn’t a director certainly wouldn’t. You have to trust your work . He also talks of relaxation , something we talk about all the time on StageMilk . Again, and again, he offers astute observations on the craft of being an actor. And for this reason alone, I would recommend reading.

Follow the well written word and it will not fail you.

Cranston’s respect for writing is immense. It was reading a Chekhov play in the midst of a six day storm where he first committed his life to acting and since then has always “followed the well written word”. This is the best, most succinct piece of advice for a career in acting I have ever heard. Simple, profound and it has served him well throughout a long and tumultuous career. Often making decisions on roles is muddied by money, accolades and much more. I think this is how we as actor’s should make decisions.

Though he has such respect for words, he speaks positively of his time on Loving , a popular soap opera early in his career. It was there, with too many lines and ridiculous shooting schedules, that he forged his acting craft. Pushing himself to be great in a context where greatness was mostly ignored.

It was there, with too many lines and ridiculous shooting schedules, that he forged his acting craft.

Another piece of advice he spoke of in the book, which is summarised in the video below, is a game changer in how you look at auditions. It’s a piece of advice that changed his career as an actor, and it’s certainly changing mine: Don’t focus on the outcome, focus on process, focus on character.  An actor’s goal in an audition is to be compelling, to bring a character to life for the length of that audition, no longer. If you are asked to play that role again, great, but if not, leave the script in the bin and don’t pick it up again. Enjoy playing that character for however long the audition lasts and then let it go.

This book is not only a great insight into acting, but also a work of great storytelling. The honest personal reflections, that initially I struggled with, come back to offer an emotional depth to the book. I was close to tears for the final chapters and reminded how closely our personal lives run concurrent to our lives as actors. How a great relationship can steady us in our careers, or a bad relationship offer insights when the role of a lifetime comes along. Too often I feel myself fighting with my personal life, and the often harsh reality of being an actor, but it is this struggle that gives richness to the work and makes you humbled when you do land roles. As Cranston says “Character is formed when we are tested, as in real life, under pressure”.

About the Author

is the founder of StageMilk. Andrew trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and is now a Sydney-based actor working in Theatre, Film and Television.

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Book Review: A Life In Parts

I first was “introduced” to Bryan Cranston as Hal on Malcolm in the Middle.  Of course,this was later in his career so any talk of Malcolm doesn’t come until about 50% through this book.  I was instantly drawn into this book, the writing style is great and really makes you feel like you are there with Bryan as he relives his early life – starting out as an actor, having that no longer seem to be his passion after his father left and then rediscovering it again later on.  I loved reading about all the sneaky things he did as a young adult – especially when he was selling sun screen as a lifeguard at the pool.

Just a note – I have not seen Breaking Bad in its entirety and I’m not sure I ever will – but if you are someone who has not yet seen the show and may eventually want to watch it, you may want to get that out of the way before reading this book because it does contain some spoilers pretty much right from the beginning of the book.

Each chapter name is the “part” that Bryan played in that story – whether it be as an actor or as a family member – son, nephew, etc.  A very interesting read about a very versatile actor.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

A poignant, intimate, funny, inspiring memoir—both a coming-of-age story and a meditation on creativity, devotion, and craft—from Bryan Cranston, beloved and acclaimed star of one of history’s most successful TV shows, Breaking Bad.

Bryan Cranston landed his first role at seven, when his father, a struggling actor and director, cast him in a United Way commercial. Soon, Bryan was haunting the local movie theater, memorizing and reenacting favorite scenes with his older brother. Acting was clearly the boy’s destiny—until one day his father disappeared. Suddenly, destiny took a back seat to survival.

Seeking something more stable, perhaps subconsciously trying to distance himself from his absent father, Cranston decided on a career in law enforcement. But then, a young man on a classic cross-country motorcycle trip, Cranston one day found himself stranded at a rest area in the Blue Ridge Mountains. To pass the time he read a tattered copy of Hedda Gabler , and in a flash he found himself face-to-face once again with his original calling. Suddenly he thought: This was what he wanted to do, what he would do, with the rest of his life. Act.

In his riveting memoir, A Life in Parts , Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany, and beyond, to mega-stardom and a cult-like following, by vividly revisiting the many parts he’s played, on camera (astronaut, dentist, detective, candy bar spokesperson, President of the United States, etc.) and off (paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, son, brother, lover, husband, father). With great humor, and much humility, Cranston chronicles his unlikely rise from a soap opera regular, trying to learn the ropes and the politics of show business on the fly, to a recurring spot as Tim Whatley on Seinfeld, finding himself an indelible part of popular culture. He recalls his run as the well-meaning goofball, Hal, on Malcolm in the Middle , proving to writers and fans that he was willing to do anything, anything , for a laugh, and he gives a bracing account of his challenging run on Broadway as President Lyndon Johnson, pushing himself to the limit as he prepared, physically and mentally, for a tour de force that would win him a Tony, to go along with his four Emmys.

Of course, Cranston dives deep into the grittiest, most fascinating details of his greatest role, explaining how he searched inward for the personal darkness that would help him create one of the most riveting performances ever captured on screen: Walter White, chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin.

Discussing his failures as few men do, describing his work as few actors can, Cranston has much to say about innate talent, its benefits, challenges, and proper maintenance, but ultimately A Life in Parts is about the necessity and transformative power of hard work.

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A Life in Parts

Bryan cranston. scribner, $27 (320p) isbn 978-1-4767-9385-6.

Reviewed on: 10/10/2016

Genre: Nonfiction

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About The Book

About the author.

Bryan Cranston won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Walter White in AMC’s Breaking Bad . He holds the honor of being the first actor in a cable series, and the second lead actor in the history of the Emmy Awards, to receive three consecutive wins. In 2014 he won a Tony Award for his role as Lyndon Johnson in the bio-play All the Way . In film, Cranston received an Academy Award nomination for his leading role in Trumbo . Among his numerous television and film appearances, he was nominated for a Golden Globe and three Emmys for his portrayal of Hal in FOX’s Malcolm in the Middle . He is the author of A Life in Parts .

Product Details

• Publisher: Scribner (October 11, 2016)
• Length: 288 pages
• ISBN13: 9781476793856

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Raves and Reviews

"Boy, you think you know a guy! I worked six solid years with Bryan Cranston and figured there weren’t any secrets left between us. All those hours I spent watching him wander the desert in his underpants? That alone should make me an expert on the man. But now, along comes A Life In Parts – and suddenly I’m reading about a whole other Bryan, one who performs weddings in airplanes and camps out at mortuaries. This Bryan bathes in the blood of chickens and stuffs mackerels in air vents. He even accosts poor Alfred Hitchcock. Yes, it’s all in here. Better still, there’s an exceedingly honest discussion of his craft, which will be a godsend to struggling thespians everywhere. Think your job waiting tables sucks? One of the world’s greatest actors had it worse (what with being under suspicion for murder and all). I loved this book. It’s just the right mixture of funny, sad and heartfelt. If I’d known Bryan could tell stories this well, I would have had him writing episodes of Breaking Bad ."-- Vince Gilligan

“This splendid, moving, heartbreaking memoir is doubly triumphant. It regales and entertains while at the same time providing inspiration and practical wisdom. A truly gifted storyteller, Cranston captures the reader's imagination and emotions from beginning to end.”— Doris Kearns Goodwin

“Bryan Cranston has created a cinematic record of how an actor shapes a career and an identity and a legacy all at the same time.” – Tom Hanks

"The highs here—and there are many—are meth-less but addictive."-- Kirkus Reviews

"[A] substantial memoir from one of Hollywood’s most introspective stars...anyone interested in acting will devour Cranston’s savvy advice about honing one’s craft and building one’s career."-- Booklist

"By turns gritty,funny, and sad, this fiercely intelligent book from the Breaking Bad star defies celebrity memoir tropes."-- Entertainment Weekly

"Cranston fuses his personal and professional life in a way that’s nothing short of riveting....an engrossing first-person account by one of our finest actors."-- Huffington Post

"[A] must-read memoir."-- Philadelphia Inquirer

"A literary cup that runneth over: A candid portrait of a great actor."- -Newsday

"Deeply personal...the way in which Cranston's simple, staccato prose invites readers to empathize with every 'character' he's played elevates this autobiography to more than just a look behind the scenes--it's a look behind a life."-- Publishers Weekly

"Genial...funny...a book about ambition and persistence."-- The Washington Post

"[Cranston] traces his on- and off-screen life with witty, absorbing candor."-- Denver Post

"Superb."-- Chicago Tribune

"Brilliant...[Cranston] has a knack for describing the ordinary in a way that makes it fascinating."-- The Buffalo News

"Cranston delivers crisp stories about his onscreen performances in everything from daytime soaps to “Malcolm in the Middle” to his 2014 Tony-winning portrayal of President Lyndon B. Johnson in “All the Way.” But he also offers many chapters in which the “part” is his real-life experience as a farmhand, hypnotist, dating consultant or even a murder suspect."-- Kansas City Star

“Cranston’s memoir is an illuminating window into the actor’s psyche, as he opens up about his time as Walter White on the show and the fine line he walked playing that character—while looking into himself.”— People

Fascinating...The candor and self-introspection of this book are reminiscent of another unflinchingly honest memoir, the late Katharine Graham’s magnificent 'Personal History.'"-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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A life in parts (hardcover).

Description

About the author, praise for….

• Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs
• Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts
• Performing Arts / Television
• Kobo eBook (October 10th, 2016): $13.99
• Paperback (August 8th, 2017): $17.99
• CD-Audio (October 11th, 2016): $29.99

An online Beatles fan club for and about Beatle fans

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

A life in parts: a book review.

"Loretta has such a positive attitude.  I'm proud of how she handled all the obstacles she had to overcome and the way she reaches out to help others."

4 comments:

I agree, it's time to move on. Both Paul and Heather are happy with their lives today and they share a little girl. I don't hate Heather, ever. She did and does have good qualities. I thought she did help Paul to move on after Linda's death- Paul has said so a bunch of times.

very good article

read this today and found it encouraging

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Activists led by Greta Thunberg block parts of Norwegian gas processing plant

Oslo: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and campaigners from the environmental group Extinction Rebellion blocked a small oil terminal that is part of Norway's gas processing plant Kaarstoe on Saturday.

Gas exports from Kaarstoe to Europe were not affected, the plant's technical service provider Equinor told Reuters. "There are activists trying to block off our oil terminal by sea and some onshore entrances," said a company spokesperson.

The oil terminal processes condensate and has a "very small production", she added. Born in 2003, Greta Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who gained international recognition for her campaign on climate change.

She began her activism at the age of 15, skipping school to protest outside the Swedish parliament building, holding a handmade sign that read 'Skolstrejk för klimatet' (School Strike for the Climate).

Thunberg's message is loud and clear. She urges that immediate action is needed to address the climate crisis and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Her activism has inspired millions of people worldwide, and she has become a leading voice on climate issues the world over.

UN bringing together world leaders to accelerate shift to clean energy

Almost the whole of world's population exposed to global warming over June-Sept

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No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Discover an empowering new way of understanding your multifaceted mind - and healing the many parts that make you who you are.

Is there just one “you”? We’ve been taught to believe we have a single identity, and to feel fear or shame when we can’t control the inner voices that don’t match the ideal of who we think we should be. Yet Dr. Richard Schwartz’s research now challenges this “mono-mind” theory. “All of us are born with many sub-minds - or parts,” says Dr. Schwartz. “These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us - and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”

Dr. Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model has been transforming psychology for decades. With No Bad Parts , you’ll learn why IFS has been so effective in areas such as trauma recovery, addiction therapy, and depression treatment - and how this new understanding of consciousness has the potential to radically change our lives. Here you’ll explore:

• The IFS revolution - how honoring and communicating with our parts changes our approach to mental wellness
• Overturning the cultural, scientific, and spiritual assumptions that reinforce an outdated mono-mind model
• The ego, the inner critic, the saboteur - making these often-maligned parts into powerful allies
• Burdens - why our parts become distorted and stuck in childhood traumas and cultural beliefs
• How IFS demonstrates human goodness by revealing that there are no bad parts
• The Self - discover your wise, compassionate essence of goodness that is the source of healing and harmony
• Exercises for mapping your parts, accessing the Self, working with a challenging protector, identifying each part’s triggers, and more

IFS is a paradigm-changing model because it gives us a powerful approach for healing ourselves, our culture, and our planet. As Dr. Schwartz teaches, “Our parts can sometimes be disruptive or harmful, but once they’re unburdened, they return to their essential goodness. When we learn to love all our parts, we can learn to love all people - and that will contribute to healing the world.”

• Listening Length 8 hours and 10 minutes
• Author Richard C. Schwartz PhD, see all
• Narrator Charlie Mechling
• Audible release date October 12, 2021
• Language English
• Publisher Sounds True
• ASIN B09GKXH7QW
• Version Unabridged
• Program Type Audiobook
• See all details

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• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 81% 10% 5% 2% 2% 81%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 81% 10% 5% 2% 2% 10%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 81% 10% 5% 2% 2% 5%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 81% 10% 5% 2% 2% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 81% 10% 5% 2% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the content insightful, intriguing, and practical tools to work towards inner healing. They also describe the book as fundamentally kind and hopeful, giving them a strong feeling of being alive. Opinions are mixed on the writing style, with some finding it profound yet easy to read and understand, while others say it doesn't explain succinctly how to do IFS.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the content powerful, relatable, and helpful in their soul work. They also appreciate the context explained in the book, which provides a narrative way of understanding our incarnation and divinity. Readers also say the exercises are great and offer practical tools to work towards inner healing.

"...and demonstrations, and when you’re done, you have a really good foundational knowledge IFS as well as some concrete steps to take in your own..." Read more

"...It offers a fresh perspective on self-acceptance and inner harmony, and has truly made a positive impact on my life...." Read more

"...for 15+ years and only recently learning about IFS, this is really mind-blowing material ...." Read more

"...Dick Schwartz shows how healing and liberating it can be to enter our inner world, and to lovingly care for the pain, the anguishes, and inner..." Read more

Customers find the book's view of human nature to be fundamentally kind and hopeful. They say it soothes their inside world and gives them a strong feeling of being alive.

"...And comforting and loving is the IFS therapy approach, which is a blessing as we can actively heal our traumatized parts, harmonize our inner system..." Read more

"...It's a way of viewing human nature that is fundamentally kind and hopeful...." Read more

"...I appreciate how the approach encourages self-kindness and understanding of the deep ways in which we try to protect ourselves from pain, but the..." Read more

"...It brought me deep clarity, connection and soothe my inside world . Thank you." Read more

Customers are mixed about the writing style. Some find it profound yet easy to read and understand, and one of the most well written books they've ever read. They say it explains simple, profound truths in a simple, intuitive way. However, others say it's hard to follow, with not enough examples and labels being used without proper explanation. They also say the strategy didn't feel healthy to them.

"...This book is concise, understandable , gives excellent examples and demonstrations, and when you’re done, you have a really good foundational..." Read more

"The exercises were challenging , but they led me to insights...." Read more

"...The content is insightful, engaging, and incredibly well-written ...." Read more

"...The book is accessible for folks like me who aren’t therapists or psychologists...." Read more

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